{"id":683,"date":"2019-07-17T18:18:38","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wcsu.wpengine.com\/news-archives\/nadine-strossen\/"},"modified":"2019-07-17T18:18:38","modified_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:18:38","slug":"nadine-strossen","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/news-archives\/nadine-strossen\/","title":{"rendered":"2015 Former ACLU president to discuss current constitutional controversies"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n


\n <\/p>\n

DANBURY, CONN. <\/strong>\u2014 The first woman to lead the national American Civil Liberties Union<\/a> as president will speak \u2014 and encourage vigorous discussion \u2014 at Western Connecticut State University<\/a>\u2019s celebration of Constitution Day<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nadine Strossen<\/a>, who was ACLU president from 1991 to 2008, will present a \u201cConversation about Current Constitutional Controversies: Same-Sex Marriage, Police\/Community Tension, NSA Surveillance, and More,\u201d at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015,<\/strong> in Room 125 of the Science Building on the WCSU Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The event will also include comments by Stephen Glassman<\/a>, executive director of the Connecticut ACLU, and two recently graduated law students of Strossen\u2019s who are working on constitutional issues in the Danbury area: Jessica Richardson, a WCSU graduate who is an advocate at the Western Connecticut Association for Human Rights in Danbury and a candidate for the New Milford Town Council; and state Rep. Stephen Harding, R-Brookfield, who practices law in Danbury. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Although Strossen is a proponent of many positions that could be characterized as politically liberal \u2014 for instance, she says, \u201cI am very proud that the ACLU was already advocating for same-sex marriage back in the dark ages of 1968\u201d \u2014 she stressed that the ACLU has always been staunchly non-partisan and ideologically neutral, advocating civil liberties for clients and causes across the political spectrum. One of the ACLU\u2019s most famous \u2014 or infamous \u2014 cases was defending the free speech rights of neo-Nazis to demonstrate in Skokie, Illinois, a town with many Holocaust survivors. The ACLU also has supported the free speech rights of corporations and unions to spend money on political campaigns, a position that most liberals reject.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter who you are, and what your ideas are, you will strongly agree with some ACLU positions and strongly disagree with others,\u201d Strossen said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As a chaired professor of Constitutional Law at New York Law School, where she has taught since 1988, Strossen drills her students to be able to recognize and advocate all sides of every issue. \u201cI specifically welcome criticism when I speak to audiences,\u201d Strossen said. \u201cAll these subjects are arguable and I\u2019m not there just to advocate but rather to encourage thinking and discussion. One of the beauties of our Constitution is that its open-textured language invites multiple interpretations and re-interpretations. For every difficult question that the Supreme Court considers, there are multiple plausible answers, and each answer gives rise to more questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Supreme Court decision that required recognition of same-sex marriage in all states, for example, leaves open the question of whether business people with religious objections must serve gay couples planning a wedding.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Of particular interest to students might be Strossen\u2019s observations about rules that seek to govern sexual encounters between students. New and proposed \u201caffirmative consent\u201d requirements would require student couples to gain verbal agreement from each other at every stage of a physical and sexual encounter.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cAs often happens when society tries to solve a problem \u2014 in this case, too many campuses doing too little to protect against or punish sexual misconduct \u2014 it overreacts, causing new problems,\u201d Strossen said. \u201cThese affirmative consent rules violate rights of due process and privacy. They reverse the usual presumption of innocence. Unless the guy can prove that his sexual partner affirmatively consented to every single contact, he is presumed guilty of sexual misconduct. Will people have to wear body cameras?\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Strossen said she is optimistic about the country\u2019s civic health despite current debates about civil liberties and constitutional rights, including issues with the criminal justice system, racial and gender discrimination, voting rights, and government surveillance.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cRegardless of what constitutional rights you consider important, you can take heart about recent and ongoing reforms that have been brought about through citizen activism,\u201d Strossen said. \u201cFrom advocates of gun-owners\u2019 rights, to advocates of gay rights, many have succeeded in persuading the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution to protect the rights they hold dear. I don\u2019t know anybody who is truly hopeless. We allow protest and change in the political system. That\u2019s why we remain a beacon for people from all over the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England\u2019s best small private universities.
<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n